Lead-Safe Resources

With homes built before 1978, when inspecting for lead paint, there are certain things inspectors look for. The number one concern as an inspectoris: Where are the children? 

Where are the children playing, and... where's the kitchen?

Why? Lead paint dust is invisible, and what you can't see can really harm you and your child. There is no known safe level of lead in the blood... especially for children under 6 years old. 

Young children are particularly vulnerable to lead poisoning because they absorb 4-5 times as much... up to 50%... of ingested lead paint dust and lead paint chips.

Add to that... young children's innate curiosity and their hand-to-mouth behavior resulting in mouthing and swallowing lead-containing or lead-coated objects. Here's some food for thought... Children eat paint chips because they are crunchy and sweet to the taste. Think of it like a lead-filled cracker. That's the lead acetate from the paint that tastes so good.

One lead enters the body, it is distributed to organs such as the brain, kidneys, and liver. The body stores lead in the teeth and bone, where it accumulates over time. Lead stored in your bones might move into the blood during pregnancy, thus exposing the fetus. 

If you live in a home built before 1978, there's a good chance there's lead paint, so have your children tested for the blood lead level, or BLL.

Ask your doctor and/or pediatrician to test your child for lead poisoning. 

Test your child for lead poisoning and find a provider: 1-800-424-LEAD or 1-800-424-5323